Gr ade 12 Psychology

Midterm Practice Examination

Answer Key

K e y
For Marker’s Use Only
Name: ______________________________________

e r
Student Number: _____________________________ Date: ___________________________

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Attending q Non-Attending q Final Mark _______ /100 = ________%

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Phone Number: ______________________________ Comments:

Address: ____________________________________

____________________________________________

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Instructions
The midterm examination will be weighted as follows:
QQ Modules 1 to 3: 100%

The format of the midterm examination will be as follows:

QQ Part 1: Matching Definitions and Famous Psychologists
(30 questions, 0.5 mark each)
QQ Part 2: Multiple-Choice Questions (35 questions, 1 mark each)
QQ Part 3: Short-Answer Questions (choose 4 out of 5 questions, 5 marks each)
QQ Part 4: Long-Answer Questions (choose 3 out of 4 questions, 10 marks each)

The following practice midterm examination contains a sample of

the types of questions you will find on the midterm examination.

Midterm Practice Examination Answer Key 1

Part 1: Matching Definitions and Famous Psychologists
(30 x 0.5 mark = 15 marks)

On the midterm examination, there are 30 questions each worth 0.5 mark to a total of
15 marks. Below is a sample of the types of terms you are responsible for learning.
Match the terms or names of the psychologists on the left with the correct description
on the right. Place the corresponding number on the line next to the term or name.

12 data 1. The act of telling participants the purpose of the

(Module 1, Lesson 4)
1 debriefing
(Module 1, Lesson 6)
5 emotions
(Module 2, Lesson 7)
13 empathetic
(Module 3, Lesson 5)
2 fraternal twins
(Module 2, Lesson 3)
4 Freud
(Module 1, Lesson 3)
9 gender roles
(Module 3, Lesson 4)
15 neuron
(Module 2, Lesson 1)
8 perceptual constancy
(Module 2, Lesson 5)
10 primary sex
characteristics
(Module 3, Lesson 2)
3 psychology
(Module 1, Lesson 2)
6 range
(Module 1, Lesson 5)
11 sensation
(Module 2, Lesson 4)
14 stress
(Module 2, Lesson 8)
7 zygote
(Module 3, Lesson 1)
study.
2. These develop from two different fertilized eggs.
3. It is the scientific study of behaviour and mental
processes.
4. The name of a psychiatrist who believed that
psychological problems could be traced to childhood
sexual conflicts.
5. These are full-bodied responses involving arousal,
behaviours, and experience.
6. The difference between the highest score and the
lowest score.
7. This is a newly fertilized egg.
8. This is understanding that things will remain
constant even though there may be changes in the
distance, angle of view, or lighting level of an object.
9. These are expectations about the way men and
women behave.
10. These are the reproductive organs in humans.
11. This is information our nervous system receives from
the environment.
12. It is the information that you collect.
13. It involves sharing thoughts, and understanding and
reflecting the other person’s feelings.
14. It is a process by which we perceive and respond to
events that we see as threatening or challenging.
15. This is the name of the individual cells found in the
brain.

2 Grade 12 Psychology
Name: ___________________________________________

Part 2: Multiple-Choice Questions (35 x 1 mark = 35 marks)

On the midterm examination, there are 35 multiple-choice questions each worth 1 mark
to a total of 35 marks. Below is a sample of ten multiple-choice questions.
Circle the letter beside the best answer for each multiple-choice question.
1. Which of the following behaviours can best be described as overt behaviour?
(Module 1, Lesson 1)
a. You are watching TV game shows.
b. You are thinking about the answer to a contestant’s question.
c. You are sad that the contestant answered incorrectly.
d. You are wondering whether or not there are any frozen waffles left in the freezer.
2. Which of the following methods of studying the brain produces an x-ray as several
cameras rotate around the brain to take the image? (Module 2, Lesson 2)
a. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
b. Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan)
c. Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT scan)
d. Electroencephalogram (EEG)
3. In order to understand personality, trait theorists attempt to… (Module 3, Lesson 5)
a. create traits that fit people
b. increase the number of basic traits that have been identified
c. classify traits and discover how they are related to behaviour
d. reduce the common traits to measures of temperament
4. Which of the following is not true of a percentile rank? (Module 1, Lesson 5)
a. It compares one score with other scores in an imaginary group of 100 individuals.
b. It compares a score to an imaginary score of 100.
c. It indicates where a score stands in that group.
d. It indicates how many people had equal or lower scores.
5. A neuron does all of the following except… (Module 2, Lesson 1)
a. receive information from another neuron
b. carry information
c. pass on information to the next neuron in line
d. receive and carry information to the neurotransmitter

Midterm Practice Examination Answer Key 3

6. The theory according to which children learn from their culture a concept of what it
means to be male and female and then adjust their behaviour to fit is the…
(Module 3, Lesson 4)
a. Social Learning Theory
b. Gender Schema Theory
c. Gender Identity Theory
d. Gender Role Theory
7. William James’ approach to psychology was defined as… (Module 1, Lesson 3)
a. behaviour
b. the mind as a function of the organism
c. the personality
d. inner needs, fulfillment, the search for identity, and other human concerns
8. Twin and adoption studies have determined that… (Module 2, Lesson 3)
a. nature determines who we are
b. nurture determines who we are
c. nature and nurture are important in determining who we are
d. nature and nurture are not important in determining who we are
9. Denial, bargaining, and acceptance are three stages of Kubler-Ross’s theory on death
and dying. The other two stages are… (Module 3, Lesson 3)
a. anger and depression
b. grieving and depression
c. sadness and anger
d. sadness and grieving
10. Which statement about social-cognitive theory is incorrect? (Module 3, Lesson 5)
a. Social-cognitive theorists use experiments to study how different situations affect
people’s attitudes and behaviours.
b. Social-cognitive theorists look at a person’s past behaviour patterns in order to
predict future behaviour.
c. Social-cognitive perspective is an objective, scientific approach to looking at
personality.
d. Social-cognitive perspective includes cognition and learning, emphasizes the
environment, and takes individual’s emotions into account.

4 Grade 12 Psychology
Name: ___________________________________________

Part 3: Short-Answer Questions (4 x 5 marks = 20 marks)

On the midterm examination, you will be asked to answer 4 of the 5 short-answer

questions presented, each worth 5 marks to a total of 20 marks. Below is an example of a
short-answer question.
1. There are five different theories of emotion.
a. James-Lange Theory of Emotion
b. Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion
c. Schacter’s Theory of Emotion
d. Zajonc’s Theory of Emotion
e. Lazarus’ Theory of Emotion
(Module 2, Lesson 7)
In five separate paragraphs, comment on how each of these theories would explain
Marlene’s emotional reaction in the following scenario. (5 x 1 mark = 5 marks)
Marlene is babysitting a nine-month-old baby. She is holding the baby in her arms when a
fierce dog appears out of nowhere. The dog leaps for the baby’s face. Marlene immediately ducks
for cover to protect the baby and screams at the dog. She notices that her heart is pounding and
she has broken out into a sweat.
In the James-Lange theory of emotion, emotion is due to perceiving changes in the
body. Specifically, it is due to reactions of the autonomic nervous system. Marlene’s
emotional reaction could be explained as follows. Marlene saw the fierce dog and
she became aware of her physiological response: her heart was pounding and she
broke out into a sweat. She then labeled her reaction as fear.
In the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion, emotion-arousing stimuli occur
simultaneously with the physiological response. In Marlene’s situation, the fear
experience occurred at the same time as her physiological response.
In Schacter’s theory of emotion, both our physical responses and our cognitive
labels combine to cause an emotional response. In Marlene’s situation, after her
heart starts to pound and she breaks into a sweat, she assigns the cognitive label of
“I’m afraid” and then she labels her reaction as fear.
In Zajonc’s theory of emotion, emotion and cognition are separate. Our
interpretation of a situation is slower than our emotional reaction. Our feelings
control our thoughts. In Marlene’s situation, she knew how she felt before she
knew what she thought about the situation. She reacted to her feelings.
In Lazarus’ theory of emotion, emotional responses occur outside of conscious
thinking. In Marlene’s situation, she reacted without thinking about the situation.
She reacted without conscious thought.

Midterm Practice Examination Answer Key 5

Part 4: Long-Answer Questions (3 x 10 marks = 30 marks)

On the midterm examination, you will be asked to answer 3 of the 4 long-answer

questions presented, each worth 10 marks to a total of 30 marks. Below is an example of
a long-answer question.
1. Freud believed that a healthy personality was one that could successfully express
pleasure-seeking impulses while avoiding punishment or guilt. For this to happen,
sometimes the ego would have to resort to defence tactics that Freud called
defence mechanisms. Complete the following chart identifying 5 of the 10 defence
mechanisms proposed by Freud (1 mark each) and provide a scenario that would be an
example of the defence mechanism in action (1 mark each). (Module 3, Lesson 5)

Defence
Scenario
Mechanism
It is used to conceal an event that is causing disturbances;
by not recalling the event, the person does not have to deal
with its consequences.
Repression
An appropriate scenario would describe having no
recollection of an event that reminds you of something you
work hard to control in the present.

It allows an anxious person to retreat to a more

comfortable, infant-like stage of life.
Regression
An appropriate scenario would describe an action such as
thumb-sucking or bedwetting when stressed.

It allows an anxious person to refuse to admit that

something unpleasant is happening.
Denial
An appropriate scenario would describe making up a story or
lying about an event that has happened.

It reverses an unacceptable impulse causing an anxious

person to express the opposite of the anxiety-provoking,
unconscious feeling.
Reaction formation
An appropriate scenario would describe denying strong
feelings about another person by responding in the opposite
way.

continued

6 Grade 12 Psychology
Name: ___________________________________________

Defence
Scenario
Mechanism
It disguises threatening feelings of guilty anxiety by
attributing the problem to others.

Projection An appropriate scenario would describe transferring

negative or inappropriate feelings onto another person;
for example, accusing someone of something that you are
feeling but won’t admit to.

It replaces real, anxiety-provoking explanations with

more comforting justifications for one’s actions. It makes
Rationalization mistakes seem reasonable.
An appropriate scenario would describe making up a logical
excuse for irrational behaviour.

It shifts an unacceptable impulse toward a more acceptable

or less threatening object or person.
Displacement
An appropriate scenario would describe taking out anger on
an inanimate object.

It emphasizes personal strengths in one area to shift the

focus from failure in another area.
Compensation An appropriate scenario would describe a person
emphasizing positive accomplishments instead of dwelling
on failures in life.

It lets associations with people or groups that are of higher

status occur in order to increase your own status.
Identification An appropriate scenario would describe an action that
makes an insecure person feel more secure; boosting self-
confidence.

It describes painful or emotional personal events in

academic terms.
Intellectualization An appropriate scenario would describe a person attributing
a failure in education-related events to the system rather
than themselves.

Midterm Practice Examination Answer Key 7